


It's better this way

by hanalunettes



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Hanahaki Disease, Hurt No Comfort, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Whump Prompto
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-11-30
Packaged: 2019-09-02 17:49:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16791772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanalunettes/pseuds/hanalunettes
Summary: Prompto's in love with Noctis, but Noctis is soon to wed Luna. He'd thought that he could live with it; clamping down his feelings and suffering in silence, but when it starts bringing in an ailment, he's forced to make a decision with his life at stake.





	It's better this way

**Author's Note:**

> First take on the fandom, totally unbeta'd, and something I wrote on a whim. Constructive criticism(s) are appreciated. Might have slight OOC-ness, depending on how you view the character. Enjoy!

Prompto didn’t know what to expect when he started a coughing fit one fine night when they returned from Lestallum, but he sure as hell wasn’t expecting _petals_. He’d been lucky that they all had separated that night; Ignis had kindly driven him to his apartment before going off to send Gladio and finally, Noct. He’d been luckier when he made it just in time into his bathroom when he felt the telltale signs of vomit crawling up his throat, slamming the door shut and puking his heart out into the toilet bowl. His insides had clenched with pain, throbbing, heart beating wildly, and he’d readied himself for the uncomfortable feeling of bile going out his nose, but the only thing he saw was.... petals.

Rose petals, though yellow, are laced with the red of his blood.

In the spur of a moment, he’d flush them down the toilet, and closed the lid shut. Petals? he wondered. How on Eos...?

He was still catching his breath when he heard his phone vibrating at the countertop, scrambling to grab ahold of it to read the message. There could only be one person and one person only that would text him in the dead of the night, right after he’d seen the very nose of that person, requesting for, predictably, a round of king’s knight.

PrinceofPain 12:45am

King’s Knight?

Yep. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes, typing back his reply before going back into the toilet to clean his mouth and gurgle out as much of the feeling as he can.

ChocoboActivist 12:46am

Yeah sure!!

Besides, the petals would go away in a day or two, however peculiar they may be.

Right?

Right.

**

Wrong.

He was so, so wrong. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t know of it; it’s plastered onto every screen that broadcasted news throughout Lucis, inside or outside. He was on his way to work, a small skip to his steps, and the chocobo theme whistled between his lips. He was in such a good mood today, on his way back from work with time still in his hands, planning the evening ahead of him.

That was until he saw the pictures of Lady Lunafreya and Noctis side by side onto the media screens, and the caption underneath it:

*Prince Noctis to wed Lady Lunafreya*

He didn’t hear when, and he didn’t hear where, because all he could register after that was the faint ringing distantly, slowly, occupying his eardrums. The scratching at the base of his throat started soft, but quickly escalated into a full-blown choke that threatened to rip out his lungs. He ran to the nearest turn into the alleyway, scrambling to its deepest parts before throwing up. He lost track of how many times he threw up, each convulse overwhelmingly painful than the last. _Six, taking his life right there and then would be infinitely better than having him suffer this way._

***

Hanahaki disease, the doctor had said. A disease indeterminable medically, but was prominent enough that researchers had found two ways to combat such ailment. Way A was costly, and a risk, but it had been effective given the number of years and patients had lived through enough to tell the tale. To remove the roots of the flower seated within the lungs, completely curing the patient of the disease.

It sounds heavenly, given the state that he’d have to suffer now.

Way B, inevitably, was to have the love reciprocated by the person he loves.

Prompto laughed bitterly at the thought, his right hand coming up to rest over his chest beneath his sleeveless tee. _Have the_ _love reciprocated?_ He closed his eyes. _Have they gone mad?_

His left hand tightened the grip onto the plastic with the pills that the doctor had prescribed in order to slow down the growth of the flower, to give him more time to think about. The thought of throwing away the pills had been so strong since he stepped out of the office, but the fees made him keep it. For safekeeping’s sake, he’d convinced himself. 

After all, money doesn’t grow on trees.

He didn’t have to even think to make his decision. He’d go there soon enough, to remove the roots of this stupid wretched flower growing inside of him and doing nothing but tormenting him for a month.

_ After all, what good is loving someone that loves another? _

***

There had been no war throughout Eos, the land living under the blanket of peace dated back almost a century ago. It was a good thing; nothing good ever comes out of wars. Stolen lives, wrecked infrastructure, the list would go on, and the rebuilding would be a pain. He’d been thankful to the Six for the peace, but it was also a bad thing.

It meant that Noct was free to marry whomever he likes, and he chose Lunafreya.

The thought almost, _almost_ had him wring out another set of petals from his body, but he managed to quell them, just for a while.

There was a silent ring in his ear, annoying and persistent, and someone talking, but far, far away. He tried to refocus, forcing his eyes shut and steadying his senses until all comes through and he was better again.

“Hey, Prom? You okay?” It was Noct. “You look sick.

“Yeah,” he breathed. He remembered. They’re at the Citadel now; he’s inside Noct’s room. Noct’s lounging on his bed, lying on his belly and legs propped up the bedhead. He had his gaze fixed onto him, filled with worry, and it made him squirm. “Dude, stop staring.” He’d said with a light tone, silently screaming to dismiss the subject. He knew. He knew what Noctis’s going to say or do, for that matter, once he had those gaze on. He wasn’t friends with Noct since high school for nothing.

“Anyways, congrats Noct. Finally getting married huh? And to think it’s with Lady Lunafreya, man, you must be the luckiest guy in the whole wide world.” His insides clenched horribly, but he’d hid the pain in his expression in favour of stretching his limbs and hooking his hands behind his head.

“Hey, stop talking about the wedding. It’s still months away. We can worry about it later, now you’re here to spend time with me.” He reached for his phone. “You up for king’s knight?”

Prompto gave a psh. “Dude, yeah, of course.”

Yeah. Lady Lunafreya’s really lucky; to wed Noctis.

Against all odds, he’d hoped that he might be able to be by Noct’s side instead, but he knew it was just wishful thinking.

***

The date of the wedding draws near, which means Insomnia’s swarmed with more and more visitors each passing day, which means, inevitably, Prompto had to clock in more hours for work.

Whatever. He wasn’t complaining, and the pay he’s getting would be enough to buy the new camera lens he’d been eyeing, along with his employee discount. He finally could pick his passion back up, something to get his mind of Noct.

Lately, Prompto hadn’t seen him because of the preparations and he couldn’t decide if it was for the better, or if it was for the worse. For the better, because the flowers had died down a bit, and he’d finally had a little bit more room to breathe without the stems constantly constricting it, but for the worse, his mind had wandered and it had always been full of Noctis, like it always is.

He scoffed bitterly when he imagined Noct trying out fine dining, Noct practising the waltz, Noct in his groom suit dressed to the nines, _Noct, Noct, Noct, Noct._

He’d imagined how Noct’s life would be if he wasn’t present, surely nothing is out of the ordinary because nothing’s changed these few months without his presence by Noct’s side? He hadn’t called him to ask him out, neither had they been online to play King’s Knight together. Of course, because his like would still be normal; he would still have Ignis to tend to him, Gladio as a companion, and...

Luna. Luna as a wife.

Surely, Noct would have more commitments; more responsibilities after marrying Luna and ascending as King, and definitely less time to hang out with him.

And if Prompto would take the first step into this plan, he was dead set on Noct not even noticing his presence even gone.

***

They had a get-together three weeks after; Prompto finally getting to see his face after a good two months.

The sight of him smiling and his velvet, smooth voice though, never fails to make his heart stop suddenly, and beat twice as fast after.

He’d wanted so bad to be by his side, to be with him every step of the way, to spend his last dying breath with Noct. _Six, was that too much to ask for?_

_Maybe it was._ Prompto’s heart clenched in longing, envisioning Lady Lunafreya beside Noctis, ruling over Lucis.

Maybe that was the best course of action after all.

“Prompto? Are you alright?” Ignis caught him zoning out twice now, and he realised that it was his turn to deal.

He nervously chuckled. “Oh, huh, sorry, yeah, I am,” he drew one, passing his turn onto Gladio. “Anyways, why're we suddenly gathered here? Special occasion?”

Even his nervously cheery attitude did not quell the deafening silence that blanketed them after that. All three of them was glancing at Prompto worryingly.

“You... do know that this is probably going to be the last time ever Noct’s gonna be single and free for the night, right?” Gladio said casually after he dealt his card.

“Wait, what? When’s the wedding?” Prompto didn’t even notice that time flew that fast. It was just yesterday that the media was all over with the announcements, right?

_It certainly feels like it is._

“In two weeks. Prompto, are you sure you’re alright?” Ignis was to reply this time with eyes that could actually flip his thoughts open like a book.

Oh.

_Oh._

Oh no.

It’s in two weeks.

And this is the last time he’s ever going to see Noct free before his marriage.

Oh.

Oh no.

He suddenly lurched forward in pain, actually feeling the buds blooming inside of him, creating a pressure on his lungs. He’d forgotten to take the pill, shitshit _shit_ , he needs it now but it’s too far, it’s inside the drawer back at his apartment, near his kitchen. Maybe they could send him home in time if Ignis was speeding, but Ignis would never speed, and he’d already felt the petals crawling up his throat,

Oh no. Oh no. _Oh no ohno ohnoohn—_

“Shit — hey Prom, you okay?” He could hear, oh sweet Shiva, Noctis’s voice, deep and velvet. It calmed him down for just a second before another round of lurching happened.

“I need, I need the toilet.” He’d been a step too late, for when he rushed for the toilet, his leg, oh his clumsy leg, had caught the leg of the table, and he’d ended up a mess on the floor, shivering, throat constricting, curling up on himself.

There was a shout and panicked voices, but they all felt like they were in a distance, somewhere far away. The petals were uncontrollable by now, and he actually didn’t realise he was vomiting then out until it was in his line of sight.

_ Yellow roses, laced with the red of his blood. _

His body felt overexerted suddenly, and his eyes felt heavy. Taking a shaky breath, he closed his eyes and drifted off into the realm.

Maybe a rest would do best right now.

***

When he woke, Ignis was in the middle of setting a tray full of food down the table beside the bed. It was chicken soup; he could tell from the smell that wafted around the room. Just as Ignis was about to tend to him, he stilled, surprised at his wake.

“Prompto,” he gently coaxed. “You’re awake. How are you feeling?” Gently, he propped Prompto up against the fluffy pillows and assisted him with a glass of water.

“Better,” Prompto let out a shaky sigh. “How long was I out?”

“Two days,” Ignis set the glass of water back to the nightstand and sat at the edge of the bed. “I’m going straight to the point. Who is it, Prompto?”

Trust Ignis to never beat around the bush.

“Who was what?” Prompto tried to remain oblivious. He couldn’t let them know who _now_ , considering they knew what, and why. If they knew who, he’d decided that burning himself alive was the lightest sentence of punishment he could give himself.

Ignis frowned. It’s true; nothing will escape Ignis once he set his resolve to it, and Prompto swallowed, realising that, sooner or later, after learning the truth, he’d have Prompto banished from the Citadel and never to see Noct again, once and for all.

“I know what those petals were, Prompto. Hanahaki is a rare sickness with only limited ways of curing. Now I need to know who, for the matter, is making you suffer this way.”

Ouch. Suffer. That’s harsh. Prompto fidgeted, looking out the window. The sky’s white, covered with fluffy clouds, and the clock on the wall had a soft tick of the seconds passing. He didn’t want to do this. He didn’t.

“Where’s Noct?” he whispered.

There was a slight shift on the bed, and when he looked at Ignis he’d sat up straighter.

“Would talking to Noct be more comfortable to you, then? Would you tell him who, if not me?”

Prompto’s breath hitched just as Ignis made a move to stand up, possibly to retrieve Noct, and scrambled for his sleeve.

“No— No! No, please don’t. I’m just asking where he is. I-I’m just—“

A heartbeat passed before Ignis moved gently to sit back down, checking the clock on the wall. “He’s in a meeting now, but he should be finishing anytime soon.”

Prompto sighed, his grip on Ignis’s sleeve loosening as he does so.

“Ignis. Ignis, Iggy, please. I need you to promise one thing.” His fingers moved to clutch at Ignis’s forearm now, gripping it. “I-I... I need you to keep this a secret between us.”

When he met Ignis’s eyes, they had softened immensely, like a mother to a child. Ignis’s other hand had enveloped his over his forearm, and the faintest of smiles had graced his lips. “What is it, Prompto?”

He heaved a shaky breath, willing his heart to calm down. He’s going to be banished from the Citadel for sure, Ignis is going to stop him from seeing Noct, blocking their contact, and he’s forced to move away, possibly Altissia or... or Tenebrae to find a new life.

“It’s Noct.”

Silence deafened the room, and the hand that was over Prompto’s gripped tighter. He didn’t dare to look at Ignis’s face now, and the words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them.

“It’s Noct, Iggy, I... It wasn’t my fault, I swear. Well maybe it is, but I couldn’t stop that feeling, Shiva, _please,_ I’m so sorry. But I swear I’m trying my best to avoid him now, that’s why I never see you guys anymore, and—“

“Prompto,” he didn’t notice Ignis’s hand had broke free from his grasp and moved to take hold of his shoulder. He took a deep breath, biting his lips, unshed tears in his eyes. He couldn’t do this, if he were to be banished, he’d want to see Noct at least one last time.

He was prepared for this.

Whatever Ignis wanted to say was swiftly cut by the ringtone of his cell, and he cursed softly at his time being cut off. “Noct needs me,” Ignis moved to stand up. “But if you are in dire need of any assistance Prompto, do know that I’m here, just a call a way.”

Ignis moved to leave, but stopped at the soft whisper of his name leaving Prompto’s lips.

“Ignis,” his voice was soft, pleading. “Ignis, promise me, Iggy. Promise me, that whatever happens to me after this, you promise that you won’t tell Noct. Ever. This... This is my only request. The only thing I ask for.”

Prompto moved in to curl up to a ball, burying his eyes onto his knees, shaking. He’d heard it, and he cried, and he was thankful to the Six that they’d bless him with a friend like Ignis.

“You have my word that none of this reaches his Highness, Prompto.”

And the door closed.

***

The days leading up to Noctis’s wedding was a torture. He had purposefully let every call from him ring, and every message was never replied. Everytime it chimes, he’d mute it and stared at it as it vibrates, before going silent, and vibrating again a few moments later.

Noct had even come by on few rare occasions to knock on his door, but he’d never opened it. He needs to keep away from Noct as far as possible, so the petals won’t come back. It hurt, but he didn’t know which hurt more, vomiting buds or rejecting his best friend.

He knew his promise was to be there for Noct, ever at his side, but where does the line of being by his friend’s side without hurting himself blur off?

Ignis had checked up on him once in a while, but that’s it. He’d move on into the normal routine of his life of going to work and home to sleep, rinse and repeat. Occasionally, when he’s alone and cold at night, he’d vomit out the petals to his heart’s content, just to get rid of the feeling and the petals. When he’d finished, he inspected them, taking one between his thumb and forefinger to look st them carefully.

He wasn’t stupid; he researched about them. He knows what the flower means. Yellow roses, as he looked it up on the Internet, meant of platonic love, of friendship.

Noct loved him, but had loved him only — _platonically._

As a brother.

That’s all he is.

He’d cried himself to sleep, wishing that maybe, if it wasn’t in this life, maybe he’d live a happy life with Noct on the next.

****

Ignis didn’t pick up his call, but it didn’t matter. Everything around were painstakingly white. His wiped his clammy hands onto his hospital gown, hoping for the call to go to voicemail. That way Ignis didn’t have to worry about him.

When it clicked, he took a deep breath, and spoke.

“Ah, hey Igs, it’s me. I’ve made up my mind, I’ve decided to, finally, remove the flowers. I-It’s okay, I’ll be fine, I’ve read through everything and signed the papers, and hopefully, I’ll be fine by tomorrow or something. Please don’t tell Noct about this, ever. It’s best if he goes through the wedding without knowing what’s happening to me, I guess, it’s for the better. I’m going for the surgery now, and I’ll maybe see you tomorrow, or if you’re free, whenever. Alright, see you.”

When he ended the call, he took a glimpse of the date, and finally realised why the call went to voicemail. Ignis was a busy man, granted, all of the servers of the Crown would be tied to their responsibilities, but tonight was actually busier because it’s the evening of Noct’s wedding. He smiled, through grim. He really couldn’t pick a better time for the surgery.

A doctor had come in and briefed him of the procedure, and he nodded his way blindly through. He couldn’t even care less, he was ready for this to be over and out so that he wouldn’t suffer a second longer.

But as the first wave of anaesthesia seeped into his bones and drew his eyes shut, he’d only managed a whisper underneath the oxygen mask.

_ I love you, Noct. _

***

He struggled to open his eyes, blinking blearily. Everything was a blur, and there’s ringing in his ears before it slowly faded into whispers that he couldn’t make out. There was a steady _beep, beep, beep,_ of the heart monitor on his left. His throat was dull and itchy, and he could feel his heart beating wildly against his chest and the blood pumping at the tips of his fingers.

He tried to sit up, but there was someone assisting him halfway through, one hand on his back while the other gripped his hand. He turned his head to find a fine young gentleman with sandy blond hair and striking green eyes hidden behind his black-rimmed glasses, smiling gently at him.

“Prompto,” the man shot him a smile, although grim. “I received your voicemail, though I was a bit late. I apologise.”

He couldn’t do anything but nod, the man helped him through a glass of water and settled him back onto the pillows. They were encased in a comfortable silence, Prompto doing nothing but staring at the ceiling whilst he was by the side of Prompto’s bed, typing on his phone.

The door was slammed open, jerking Prompto out of his thoughts. There was a man behind it, dressed in a suit, adjusting the cuff of his dress shirt. His midnight blue eyes somehow, someway had brought a dull ache in Prompto’s chest, drawing his hand to place over it.

“Specs,” the man spoke, but his tone was even. Dangerous. “What is the meaning of this?”

“Highness, please, take it easy on him.” The gentleman had replied, pushing his spectacles up the bridge of his nose. The raven walked into the room, stopping by the side of his bed and sat on it. Prompto squirmed, uncomfortable.

The raven had noticed, unfortunately, and uncomfortably adjusted in his seat. “Prom, what happened? Had there been an accident I didn’t know about? Why weren’t you at the wedding? I searched everywhere for you.”

He just stared at him, not knowing what to reply. His heart still ached dully, only a little more resonant through his chest. He squeezed his chest through his gown.

“Calm down, Noct. Maybe a step at a time. He just woke up; it’s best to let him adjust to his surroundings first before bombarding him with questions.”

Both of them exchanged looks before looking at him. And then the gentleman had sighed. “Prompto?” he coaxed gently.

When he had finally found his voice, he cleared his throat, looking between the two of them. There was a familiar clench of his gut when he spoke.

“I-I’m sorry, do I know the both of you?”


End file.
